Tagliatelle
I can’t think of a single trip to Italy where I didn’t get off the plane and fall face-first into a bowl of tagliatelle. It was the same every time; we would land in the morning and drive to my grandparent’s house in time for lunch where they would serve tagliatelle and ragù, followed by sweet italian melon with sliced prosciutto.
The dough, made of just flour and eggs, is bright yellow, especially if the eggs are those neon orange-yolked Italian variety. It’s a different recipe altogether than say spaghetti or orecchiette, both of which hail from further south. Many of the pastas from the Emilia Romagna region begin like this one, with a sfoglia, or very thin sheet of dough rolled until a little transparent, then folded and cut into different shapes. I use a machine to roll out my sfoglia, because, to be honest, I don't know how to make it without one. You're really supposed to use a mattarello, the handling of which is a mesmerizing and sadly disappearing craft where a single piece of dough is stretched incredibly thin using only a wooden board and a long stick. One day I WILL learn to properly stretch a piece of sfoglia like my grandmother did, but until then I'll use my trusty stand-mixer attachment so that quick, simple, and fresh pasta is always within reach.
SERVING DETAILS
6 Servings, perfect with Ragu alla Bolognese
INGREDIENTS
- 400 grams all-purpose flour
- 4 medium eggs
- a pinch of salt
METHOD
- Make a mound with the flour on a clean flat surface like countertop. Dig a hole in the center of the mound, pushing the flour to sides, creating a nest with the flour. Crack the eggs into the center of the nest and top with the pinch of salt.
- Using a fork, whisk the eggs and salt, slowly incorporating, a little at a time, the flour.
- Mix with the fork until it’s no longer possible, and then start kneading with your hands. Knead in all the flour, at which point the dough will be quite tough and no longer sticky. If the dough isn't surprisingly firm, and hard to knead, adjust with a bit more flour.
- Continue kneading, stretching the dough with your palm and pulling back with your fingers, for approximately 20 minutes. I’ve included a video below so you can see the motion. It’s hard work, my great grandmother used to say that it made you better at playing the piano, so keep those benefits in mind as you huff your way through this. The dough should be very smooth, elastic and firm.
- Wrap with clingwrap and set aside while you prep the pasta machine, fitted with the flat sheet roller. I use a stand mixer pasta attachment. Set up a station, such as a kitchen table with a clean tablecloth laid on top, to lay the pasta sheets flat once rolled out.
- Using about 75 grams at a time, feed a small piece of dough through the roller, on the first setting. Use the first setting to run the dough a few times, folding as you go, to make a square shape.
- Once you have a square shape, move on to the rest of the settings, feeding the dough through each setting once. You'll end up with a sheet of pasta approximately 4 inches x 20 inches
- Lay the pasta sheet on the table, and square off the ends, saving the ends for your next round. Sprinkle both sides with flour and allow to dry slightly on the table while you make the rest of the sheets.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough, using 75g at a time.
- Starting with the first piece you made, sprinkle again with flour and fold over about 3 inches from one of the short ends and continue to roll inwards (Silvia says like you would a poster)
- Using a very sharp knife, and taking care not to press too hard, cut the roll into 1/4th inch strips.
- Carefully fluff the pasta with your fingers into a messy nest of tagliatelle, making sure that each piece completely unrolls. Repeat with each sheet of pasta and allow cut tagliatelle to rest and dry for at least 1 hour or until ready to cook.
- To cook; bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Working in small batches, boil the pasta for 1-2 minutes until tender. Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove the pasta from the boiling water and place directly into pasta sauce and toss to coat.
